Tablet depositing machine



Nov. 10, 1936.. G SUPH ER ET AL 2,060,645

TABLET DEPOSITING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 mafia/#073 i Ger/7 P71 3 er ga /We 03327 a I? dire/Zen a? Nov. 10, 1936. G SUPHGER ALL 2,060,645

' TABLET DEPOSITING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 r a 5 A9 23e, Wmvefs.

N 1936- e. s. SUPPIGIER ET AL 2,060,645

TABLET DEPOSITING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1952 4 Sheets-Shqec 3 2 lwwmeys Nov. .10, 1936. e. s. SUPPIGER ET AL TABLET DEPOSITING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 13, 1932 r P mww a \WWI M Z m 922a. a m w m \w y n wfio e I "I y OMWVJW M0 Ll H. Q Q a M M I \wlnh/ NM. u 6 w Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TABLET DEPOSITING MACHINE Application .lune 13, 1932, Serial No. 616,784

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tablet depositing machines; and consists in the novel construction hereinafter disclosed.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine to separately feed tablets from a supply contained in a hopper at timed intervals to deposit the tablets in containers traversing the delivery point, which machine includes an improved means for separating the tablets one at a time from the bulk of tablets contained in the hopper, and means for depositing the separated tablets in a retaining device from which they are positively expelled by an actuator into containers passing below the delivery device.

Another object of the invention is to equip'a machine of this class with control mechanismactuated by the several containers into which the tablets are to be deposited, whereby the tablets will be discharged from the machine in synchronism with the position and movement of the containers fed below the machine by any suitable form of conveyor device.

Another object of the invention is to improve and simplify the mechanism for separating individual tablets from the bulk contained in the hopper feed device.

Additional advantages of the construction will be apparent from the following detail description taken in'connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line l--l of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation partially in section following the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

- Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the machine substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a viewin longitudinal section of the operating mechanism incorporated in the machine.

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the electrical control system.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the machine is shown as including a housing comprising a front wall I, a back wall 2 and side walls 3 supported in connection with a removable base plate 4. The side walls have central openings closed by plates 5 so' that access to the interior of the housing may be obtained. The back wall 2 is extended downwardly from the base plate and is provided with a bracket 6 adjustably attached to the extension of the back plate 2 by bolts 1 extending through slots 8 in the back plate.

A bracket 8 is remov-- ably bolted to the back plate and serves as a support for the operating motor M of the machine. The casting that forms the housing is extended upwardly to provide a forwardly and upwardly inclined housing which includes a bottom wall 5 ill, a generally circularside wall II and a top wall l2. The wall II at the front part of the machine-includes a cylindrical chute l3 that extends obliquely downwardly and forwardly, the lower end of said chute l3 connecting with a 10 vertically disposed cylindrical chamber I l.

The feed hopper includesa generally inverted conical chamber l5 having an open top. The bottom of the hopper is extended to forma semicylindrical wall l6 which is formed integral with a flanged annular base l'l. At the throat of the chamber I5 is a sliding plate l8 carried by an adjustable thumb screw l9 mounted in a slot in the front wall of the hopper. By vertically adjusting the plate IS the throat of the hopper may be contracted or protracted to adjust the delivery of-the bulk of tablets of different sizes. The base I! of the hopper construction is carried by the wall l2. The diameter of the base I! is slightly in excess of the diameter of the wall [2 so that the base I! overhangs the wall, leaving an open space beyond the periphery of the wall l2. A spacing ring 20 is interposed between the base I! of the hopper construction and the. wall I2. Within the base ll of the hopper construction .there is mounted a circular plate 2| having a vertical flange 22 at its periphery. The upper surface of the plate 2| is formed with a slight concavity so that the rim of the plate is somewhat elevated with respect to the central portion thereof. Adjacent to the periphery of the plate '2l is a circular series of spaced openings 23 the advanced edges of which, as the plate rotates, are formed with a concavity 24 in the upper surface of the plate, which concavity assists in 40 directing the tablets into the openings 23 and also prevents the locking of more than one tablet at a time within the openings.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 1 that the ring 20 is positioned directly below the circular series of openings 23 and in relatively close adjustment to the lower edge of the openings. The ring 20 is continuous except for that portion of the plate that lies over the upper end of the chute l3, at which point there is an open space 25 in the ring 20. Therefore, when an opening 23 registers with the cut-out portion in' the ring 20, the tablet will fall by gravity into the chute l3 and thence through the opening 26 in the wall of the member 14, where it is caught and held by nested spring arms 21.

In operating the feeding mechanism for the tablets, the plate 2| is intermittently revolved. The plate 2| is axially mounted on a shaft 28 revolubly supported in a bearing 29 that extends downwardly from the underface of the wall I2. The shaft 28 carries at its lower end a beveled gear 39. This beveld gear 30 is driven by a beveled pinion 3| carried on a shaft 32 supported in the lower housing of the machine in which it is journalled for rotation. The shaft 32 is intermittently driven from the motor shaft 33 which is constantly rotating. The motor shaft 33 carries a pinion 34 that meshes with a gear 35. The gear 35 has a hub 36 which in turn is carried by the outer ring of an anti-friction bearing 31, either of the ball-bearing or roller-bearing type. Thus the gear 35 constantly rotates its hub during the operation of the machine. The shaft 32 is intermittently connected with the gear 35 by a clutch device. This clutch device includes a collar 38, which is fast with the shaft 32. The collar carries an angular arm, said arm having one leg 39 thereof extending outwardly from the periphery of the collar and the opposite leg 48 extending inwardly parallel with the axis of the collar. The inner end of said leg 40 of the arm has a semicylindrical extremity that lies within an overhanging flange 4| on the hub 36 of the gear 35. The outwardly extending leg 39 of the arm has Y a contraction spring 42 connected therewith at I the arm so that the one end, said spring 42 connecting at the opposite end with a pin 43 carried by the collar 38. The normal tendency of the spring 42 is to rock edge of the semi-cylindrical portion of the leg 40 will project beyond the periphery of theportion of the collar 38 in which said extension is seated. That portion of the flange, of the hub 36 that surrounds the surface of the collar 38 is provided with a series of semi-circular notches 44.

The relation of the cooperating parts of the clutch member may be best understood by reference to Fig. 1, from which it will be noted that the extremity of the leg 49 seats in a semi-circular recess in the collar 38 and that, when the spring 42 draws the outwardly extending leg 39 of the arm toward the pin 43, the extremity of the leg 40' will rock to a position so that it engages one of the notches 44 and thereby couples the hub 36 of the gear 35 to the collar 38; and, since the collar 38 is fast on the shaft 32, when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. '7 the shaft 32 will be rotated. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4, the leg 40 is in a position so that the semi-cylindrical extremity thereof is within the periphery of the collar 38 and the clutch is out of engagement.

Since it is desired to synchronize the operation of the driving mechanism with the positioning of the containers below the discharging mechanism of the machine, a control construction operated by contact with the containers is provided.

It will be understood that the containers 45 are fed across the machine and below the housing H of the discharge member by conveying the containers on an endless belt 46 across the front of the machine. A switch, diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 6 and indicated by the reference numeral 41, is normally open. It is actuated to closed position by a lever 48 positioned at the front of the machine and carrying a circular disc 49 at its outer end. The lever 48 is spring actuated and, in its normal pvsition, extends forwardly so that the edge of the disc 49 is in the path of the containers fed to the machine.

As the containers are successively brought under the tablet delivery device, the side walls of the containers contact with the circular disc 49 and move the lever 48 inwardly. This inward movement of the lever 48 closes the switch. The switch controls an electrical circuit 50 connected with-a coil 5| of a solenoid. Obviously, when the container is in position to receive the discharged table-t, the switch will be closed and the coil of the solenoid energized. The solenoid includes, in addition to the coil 5|, a stationary magnet 52 which is supported by the base plate 4 of the machine and an armature 53 loosely mounted on a rock shaft 54. The rock shaft 54 also carries a generally U-shaped arm 55 that extends over and beyond the armature 53, said arm being fixed to said rock shaft. The rock shaft 54 has an angular extension 56 the end of which provides a detent for the leg 39 of the clutch arm. The armature 53 is provided with a lateral extension forming an arm 51, which arm 51 has an elongated opening 58 near its extremity.

An inverted U-shaped bracket 59 is supported by spaced lugs 60 extending upwardly from the base plate 4. A latch plate 6| is supported between the arms of the bracket 59, the lower end of the plate extending between the adjacent faces of the lugs 60. The latch plate 6| is actuated by a contractile spring 62, one end of said spring being attached to the upper part of the bracket 59 and the other end of the spring extending through an eye in the upper end of the latch plate. The latch plate has an elongated opening 63 intermediate its length through which a pin 64 supported transversely of the arms of the bracket 59 extends. The lower end of the latch plate 6| has an inclined face 65 that contacts with a pin 66 supported between the arms of the bracket 59, said inclined face 65 cooperating with the pin 66 to cam the latch plate in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 4) when the latch plate is moved downwardly against the tendency of the spring 62.

Near the upper end of the latch plate is a pin 61 which extends into the in the arm 51 of the armature of the solenoid. The inner edge of the latch plate 6| is provided with a notch 68 which cooperates with a latch hook 69 at the outer extremity of the arm 55. The arm 55 is normally actuated to raised position by a contractile spring 10 connected at one end to said arm and at the opposite end to a lug 1| carried at the upper end of the bracket 59. The extent of upward movement of the arm 55 is regulated by an abutment comprising a lug 12 extending from the arm 55, which lug contacts with an adjustable screw 13 mounted in a boss 14 rising from the base plate 4.

In order to understand the operation of the clutch control device, it will be convenient to make reference to Fig. 4, in which the parts described are shown in released position.

In this view, the solenoid is deenergized and, therefore, the armature 53 is in raised position. The arm 55 is also raised, which rocks the shaft 54 to a position to bring the end of the arm 56 in the path of movement of the leg 39. The direction of rotation of the gear 35 is indicated by the arrow. Obviously. when the clutch is in engagement, the collar 38 will have the same direction of rotation. Therefore, the contact between the end of the arm 56 and the leg 39 will move the leg 39 to a position as shown in Fig. 4, in

which the extremity of the leg 40 is turned so that it is out of engagement with the hub 31 of the gear 35. In this position, the gear is free to rotate without rotating the shaft 32. The latch plate 6| is in its raised position and inclined in the direction opposite to the arrow in Fig. 4, which brings the latch hook 69 into engagement with the notch 68. This, therefore, represents the adjustment of the parts with the clutch out of engagement and the driving mechanism idle.

When a container 45 contacts with the disc 49, the lever 48 is moved inwardly, closing the switch 41 and thereby energizing the coil of the solenoid. This energizing of the coil of the solenoid draws the armature 53 downwardly. As

the armature moves downwardly, the arm 51 carried thereby also moves downwardly and, by the pin-and-slot connection with the latch plate 6|, moves the latch plate downwardly against the tendency of the spring 62. The lower inclined edge 650i the latch plate as it moves downwardly is cammed to throw the upper extremity of the plate in the direction of the arrow. The initial downward movement of the latch plate also moves the arm 55 downwardly because of the engagement of the latch hook 69 with the notch 68. The movement of the arm- 55 downwardly also moves the arm 56 downwardly and out of the path of the leg 39. As soon as the end of the arm 56 disengages from the leg 39, the spring 42 rocks the leg to the position shown in Fig. 7, thereby coupling the collar 38 with the hub 36, of the gear 35. After the arm 55 has moveddownwardly sufficiently to release the arm 56 from engagement with the leg 39, the movement of the latch plate in the direction of the arrow releases the latched engagement of the latch hook 89 with the notch 68 and the arm 55 is snapped upwardly by the spring 10, again bringing the end of the arm 55 into the path of the leg 39 so that, when one revolution of the shaft 32 hastaken place, the abutment of the leg 39 against the end of the arm 58 will move the leg 40 again to unlocked position. This action will take place regardless of the position of the armature because the arm 55 is free to move upwardly independent of the armature 53. When the armature 53 is deenergized, the spring 62 will pull the latch plate 6| upwardly and, because of the position of the spring 62 during the upward movement of the latch plate, the latch plate will again moveft'oward the position shown in Fig. 4 and the latch hook 69 will reengage with the notch 68.

It is thus apparent that the construction provides means for imparting a single revolution to the shaft 32 upon each energization of the solenoid and the clutch cannot be reengaged until the solenoid has been deenergized and the armature raised. Therefore, in the event of the containers failing to move out of contact with the switch lever, or if, for any other reason, the solenoid fails to deenergize after the switch has made contact, the depositing mechanism will not oper ate except to deposit the single tablet upon each energization of the solenoid.

The mechanism for forcing the tablet from the delivery device includes a plunger 15 mounted for vertical reciprocation in the chamber H. The chamber It has registering vertical slots 16 in its side wall and the plunger15 has a rectangular opening 11 through the body thereof. A pin 18 fitted in the body of the plunger serves as a pivot ppnnection to connect the plunger the concavities deflected inwardly at its lower end where it is connected with a crank arm 80 carried by the extremity of the shaft 32, a crank pin 8| serving to form a pivot connection between the crank arm 80 and the strap 19. The crank arm 80 reciprocates the plunger once for each revolution of the shaft 32. The plate.2| driven from the same shaft is driven at a reduced speed ratio so that the'revolutionn of the plate 2| will be in a ratio of one revolution to the number of revolutions of the plunger equivalent to the number of discharge openings 23 in the plate 2|. That is to say, the plunger will operate once for each tablet discharged into device from the feed mechanism.

The plate 2| is so adjusted that the respective discharge openings 23 will register with the openbeing brought to registration with the opening 25. It will thus be observed that a timed actuator is provided for separately discharging a single tablet for each operation of, the feeding mechanism.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the general operation of the machine is briefly as follows:

The bulk supply of tablets is placed in the hopper l5. The tablets fall by gravity through the throat of the hopper which is controlled by the sliding plate I8. A quantity separated from the bulk of the tablets deposits upon the lower part of the plate 2 I. As the plate revolves, single tablets are separated fromthe'bulk and seat in the openings 23, being guided to position by 24 in the iorward'edges of said openings. As the plate 2| revolves, the tablets are held in the openings 23 by the ring 20 until the respective openings register with the. discharge opening 25 through the ring 20, whereupon they, by .gravity. fall into the chute I3 through the opening 26 and into the nest of retaining springs 21. This deposit of the separate tablets occurs as the plunger moves upwardly. During the travel of the plate 2| to bring the next succeeding opening 23 into registration with the discharge opening, the plunger descends, pressing the tablet from its supported position. The movement of the feeding mechanism is accomplished by the setting of the switch the tablet depositing 41 to closed position, which energizes the solenoid coil, thereby effecting a coupling of the driving 32 in such a way that the shaft 32 will make a single revolution, after which the clutch device is thrown to the disengaged position as here-- inbefore pointed out in detail.

We are aware that the invention may be modifled in numerous particulars without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and we do not limit ourselves, therefore, to the exact construction shown and described, but what "we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a machine for depositing tablets in" containers, the combination of a hopper, a unit discharge chamber having a downwardly directed discharge opening, a device for yieldingly holding delivered from said hopper, a chute between said plate and said unit discharge chamber, whereby unit articles may be conveyed from the plate to the chamber, the yieldingly holding device containing them in the chamber, a plunger reciprocating in said unit discharge chamber to discharge the unit articles therefrom by overcoming said yielding device, and operating mechanism for said plunger and said plate whereby articles are discharged from said plate for passage to said unit discharge chamber in synchronism with the discharge of unit articles from said un-it discharge chamber.

2. In a dispensing machine, the combination of a hopper, a discharge chute, a revoluble plate between the discharge chute and the hopper having a plurality of discharge openings therein for receiving and discharging unit articles, with operating mechanism for said plate comprising a constantly rotating. prime mover, a driven shaft, a clutch between the prime mover and the driven shaft, an actuator for the clutch, an electrical solenoid for operating said actuator, a switch for controlling said solenoid, and a lever connected with said switch engageable by containers advanced to the machine to energize the solenoid when a container registers with the discharge chute.

3. In a dispensing machine, the combination of a hopper, a discharge chute,-a revoluble plate between the discharge chute and the hopper having a plurality of discharge openings therein for receiving and discharging unit'articles, with operating mechanism for said plate comprising a constantly rotating prime mover, a driven shaft, a clutch between the prime mover and the driven shaft, an actuator for the clutch, an electrical solenoid for operating said actuator, a switch for controlling said solenoid, a lever connected with said switch engageable by containers advanced to the machine to energize the solenoid when a container registers with the discharge chute, and a throw-out device for releasing the clutch following the energizing of said solenoid.

4. In a dispensing machine, the combination with a hopper having a downwardly opening discharge throat, of a base connected with the hopper inclining upwardly from the throat of the hopper, a flange on said base member, a revoluble plate mounted on the base the periphery of said plate being within the flange and said plate being provided with a plurality of openings adjacent the outer edge thereof and the surface of the plate being convex, a discharge chute connected with the upper portion of said base, an

article delivery chamber connected with said chute, said chamber having a downwardly directed discharge opening, retaining means preventing the movement of articles through said discharge opening, an actuator for releasing the articles from said retaining means, operating mechanism for said plate and for'said actuator for releasing articles from said retaining means and delivering articles to said chute in timed relation, and a control device under the influence of the movement of containers to said machine for controlling said actuator.

5. In a machine for depositing tablets in substantially filled containers, having a. discharge opening under which such containers are moved. and means for feeding tablets singly toward said opening in an oblique direction thereto, a chamber immediately above said opening, communicating therewith and adapted to receive tablets fed by said means, a yielding device in said chamber adapted to retain a tablet fed by said means in a vertical line above said opening, a plunger adapted to be reciprocated in said vertical line and to discharge such tablet from the yielding device in a vertical line to a container under said opening, and mechanism for operating said plunger and said feeding means in timed relationship.

6. In a depositing machine, a plate for feeding tablets, a chute into which said plate discharges said tablets, an elongated chamber having an inlet passage in a wall, said passage being spaced from the end of the chamber, the chute communicating with the interior of said chamber through said passage, said elongated chamber having an opening in the bottom thereof through which the tablets may be discharged, resilient means extending inwardly from the walls of the chamber, and adapted yieldingly to hold the tablet from passing through the discharge opening, and a plunger in the chamber normally above the inlet passage, and reciprocable in said chamber to force the tablet therefrom.

7. In a machine for depositing tablets in a container, a rotary plate for separating individual tablets from a mass thereof, a discharge chamber having a discharge opening in the bottom thereof, fixed means conducting said individual tablets from said plate to said chamber, means in said chamber resiliently to retain the tablet from passing out said discharge opening, a plunger in said chamber adapted to reciprocate and force the discharge of the tablet against the action of said retaining means, a motor, driving means between said motor and said rotary plate whereby to rotate the plate, a driving means between the motor and the plunger whereby to actuate the plunger to discharge the tablet in synchronism with the action of the plate, and means actuated by the container when the same is in receiving position to control said driving means.

8. An apparatus for intermittently depositing tablets into containers, including a retainer having a discharge opening therein from which a tablet may bedischarged into a container located in receiving relation therewith, means discharging the tablet from said retainer, a driving means therefor, a control device having an element moved by the container, in position, a mechanism for connecting said driving means with said discharge means, and releasable means interposed between said control device and said connecting mechanism so that said control device upon movement by the container causes said connecting mechanism to be actuated for driving the discharge means, said interposed means being automatically released after each actuation to break connection between the control device and the connecting mechanism regardless of the position of the said control device.

9. An apparatus for depositing tablets into containers, including a retainer having a discharge outlet from which a tablet may be discharged into a. container located in receiving relation therewith, means discharging the tablet from said retainer, a driving means engageable therewith for actuation thereof, a clutch interposed between the driving means and the discharging means, and mechanism for controlling the clutch, said mechanism including an electrcnagnet, a switch operated by the container in position to energize said electromagnet, an armature moved by said magnet, a clutch control device movable to positionto permit engagement of the clutch, and means connecting the armature with the clutch control device during a portion of the movement of the armature to move the same and permit engagement of the clutch, and releasing the clutch control device after said portion of the movement of the armature whereby the clutch will be released regardless of the position of the armature.

10. An apparatus for depositing tablets into containers including means, having a discharge portion, for depositing a tablet into a container located in receiving relation to said discharge portion, means adapted to actuate said depositing means, and control mechanism for selectively causing said actuating means to operate the depositing means only for a predetermined operation, said control mechanism including a movable element, means in said mechanism operating said element by a container in the relation aforesaid, to a position wherein to permit said actuating means to operate the depositing means for said predetermined operation, and means in said mechanism releasing said element so that it may render the actuating means ineffective after said predetermined operation to operate the depositing means until the element operating means is returned to its starting position.

11. An apparatus for depositing tablets into containers including means, having a discharge portion, for depositing a tablet into a container located in receiving relation to said discharge portion, normally disconnected means adapted when connected therewith, to actuate said depositing means, mechanism for selectively controlling the connection of said actuating means to said depositing means, said control mechanism having-an element operable to a position wherein the actuating means may be connected to the depositing means, and said mechanism having means operable from an initial position to move said element to said position, said means being operated by the presence of a container in the relation aforesaid, and said means releasing said element to position wherein to cause disconnection of said actuating means and said depositing means upon a predetermined operation of the latter, said element moving means being inoperable to move said element again until returned to said initial position.

GERHART S. SUPPIGER.

CLYDE ALEXANDER.

JOHN H. SCHREEBER. 

